Government's Community Ownership Fund extended to local council applicants

The government's Community Ownership Fund has been extended to allow applications from local (parish and town) councils for the first time.

The Community Ownership Fund is a government programme with £150m over four years run by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to help communities take ownership of assets at risk of closure across the UK.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has been lobbying the government to extend the fund's eligibility to local councils. Only community and voluntary organisations have previously been allowed to apply, with all types of councils excluded.

Round three of the fund launched on 11 May and aims to support community ownership projects such as sports facilities, arts and music venues, museums and galleries, parks, pubs, post offices and shops.

Applications open on 31 May. The deadline for applications for this funding round is 12 July.

DLUHC has made changes to the Community Ownership Fund for future bidding windows. Changes to the fund are to make it easier for voluntary and community groups to apply for funding to acquire important assets and run them for the benefit of the local community.

DLUHC has included an overview of these changes in a webinar slides and recording. Further information, the application form and prospectus can be found online.